Electrically-propelled car or locomotive.



PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907.

E. H. ANDERSON. ELBCTRIGALLY PROPELLED GAR OR LOGOMOTIVE.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 5,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lnvendBr. Edward Anders-on.

I PATENTEDjDEG. 17, 190?.

' E. '11. ANDERSON. ELEGTRIGALLY PROPELLED GAR 0R LOCOMOTIVE- APPLIOATIOI FILED APB. 5 1906.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lmwnCon Edward H.Andrs0n 'I Q M UNITE srn'rns PATENT FFICE.

EDWARD H. ANDERSON, OF SCHENEGTADY, NEW YORK, hSSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIOALLY-PROPELLED OAR OR-LOGOMO'IIVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1907.

Application filed April 5, 1906. Serial No. 310,059.

['0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. ANDER- soN, a citizen of theQUnited States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and-useful Improvements in Electrically- Propelled Cars hr Locomotives, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates toclectric railways and particularly those wherein the current which is supplied ,to thecars or locomotives has a high voltage. The most satis factory type of motor for use in railway work is a simple series motor which, whether operating on alternating or direct currents, may be used to advantage only where the terminal voltage is comparatively low. Therefore, where the line voltage is high, it is necessary to provide some means on the car or locomotive for reducing the potential to a suitable value. Such means inayadvantagcously consist of an induction motor operated directly by the high-potential current and a generator driven by the induction motor and adapted to supply current to motors of the vehicle; and, although my invention, insome of its aspects, may be used under other conditions, it is especially applica- For station work.

ble to systems of this character.

In one of its aspects my invention relates to a control system whereby the usual series motors are made to operate effectively not only as motors but also braking generators driven by the load and supplying energy to the line. This regenerative feature is of importance in. that it saves the wear upon the drivers which results from the application of brake shoes and obviates the dangers resulting from tires which are broken or overheated during brakingby means of friction shoes: it is of even more importance in railway sys tems having numerous or long) inclines, since a considerable sa\ ing in power may be efi ected while at the same time the speed of car or train may be controlled much more smoothly and effectively in passing down in clines than through ordinary brakes.

It is of importance that the motor-generator set be as small and light as possible, not only for the purpose of decreaslng the cost, but on account of the limitations in the space available and because the dead weight factor cannot be ignored as it might be in apparatus The size of the motorthe use to which it is to be put, that is, whether or not it is to be subjected to heavy overloads at times. If heavy overloads can be avoided the apparatus may of course be given minimum dimensions; but if provision must be made for such overloads, larger and heavier apparatus is required.

Therefore one of the objects of the present invention is to provide protective means whereby the load upon the motor-generator set is prevented from being carelessly raised beyond defined limits, in order that the size of the apparatus may safely be reduced. to a minimum.

The present invention in its various aspects will be more fully understood and its objects and advantages will more clearly ap pear from the following description taken in connection with the accom anying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of the present invention.

in said drawings: Figure 1 indicates diagrammatically a complete equipmei'it' for one locomotive or other vehicle; Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the main circuits under normal operation of the motor to propel the locomotive; and Fig. 3 shows the principle circuits when the motors are being used as braking generators.

In the drawings a two-motor equipment for a car or locomotive is shown, although it is of course evident that the number of motors may be and usually would be increased.

M and M are the main motors, these being of the usual series type.

A re resents a motor-generator set carried upon the car or locomotive and consisting of the induction motor a and the generator (1 The generator a consists of an armature l and a field winding 2, the field being separately excited, as by means of a second generator a also driven from the induction motor;

R to l 4 are resistance sections adapted to be connected in the circuits of the motors M and M and R to R are resistance sections which may be included in series with the field winding 2 of the generator a r to r are resistance sections adapted to be included in circuit with the field ol the motors when these motors are operating as braking generators.

O is a controller of the separately-actuated contact type arranged to connect the motors genera-tor set of course depends largely upon M and M to the arm aturc I. first in series with each other and with the resistance R to R*, then eliminate the resistance, then connect the motors in parallel with-resistance again in circuit and thereafter again eliminate the resistance. Certain of the contacts of the controller C are adapted to connect the field windings of the two motors in a cir- R toR- eit er power or cuit independent of the mature-and deriving current from the eXciter a? D is a controllercomprising a plurality of contacts, each of which .is adapted to eliminate one of the resistance sections R to R andr tor j K is amaster'controller adapted to govern the operation of the contacts of the main controller Cv andv that portion of the controller D which governs resistance sections L is a commutating' switchhaving power and braking positions; this switchcobperatin with the mastercontroller to produce braking connections for the motors. i

' H is an auxiliary master controlling switch for governing that. portion of 'thgcontroller D which affects resistances r to r The master switch devices are connected to the con troller-actuating means through a setof train Wires 30-44 which may beconnected to a similar setof wires upon one or more other vehicles so that one set "of master switches. may serve to conjtrol the equipments of a plurality of vehicles.

O. is a relay having one coil 0 in series with the armatnreiof the generator a and a second coil'o in shunt thereto. .The; two coils on the, relay are adaptedtdassist each other and ,theyare so designed-that, if eitherthe .current tonoperate the relay, and furthermore the current which may be-supplied at very low voltages may be limited in t e same It is of course evideiitthat the relay may be utilized in various ways, as for example, 'by opening and closing a circuit through a controller locking device K, as

illustrated.

Assuming that the induction motor is in operation and it is desired to start the car or train; the switch L is turned into the position wherein the right-hand set of movable contacts engages with the fixed contacts and thereupon, upon turning the controller K to its first rrmningposition, a"circuit may be traced fron one terminal of the exciter,

close.

through contacts 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the controller K, to train wire 44, and thence switch U, to ground. Switches T and T are thus closed and switchU, which is adapted to reverse the connections of the coil 0 of the relay 0, is raised. Another circuit may be traced from controller contact7 which is connected to contact 5, through contact 8, through contacts Z Z, Z, ofthe switch \L,

train wire 41, and thence through interlock p associated with parallel switch P, through the actuating cm of series switch S, to ground;-thus causing the series switch to A motor circuit may now be traced from the upper terminal of the generator armature, through relay coil 0, through switch '1, through resistance R, R through the armature of motor M through switch '1, through the field winding of motor M, through switch S, through reslstances R and B, through the armature of motor M through switch T through the field winding of motor M to ground. The motors are therefore connected across the terminals of the generator armature in series with each other and in series with the resistances as indicated in Fig. 2. Upon turning the controller K to the second position, a circuit passes from contacts 9 and 10 of the controller to train wire 39, and thence through the actuating coils of switches R? and R, to ground ;v the closing of these latter switches cuts out resistance sections R and R. In thethird position of the controller a circuit leaves controller contacts 11' and 12 and passes to train wire 38 and thence through the actuating coils of'switches R and R, to ground; these two latter switches close and cut out resistance sections R and R. In the fourth running position of the controller a circuit passes from contacts 13 and I4 of the controller, to train Wire 37 and thence through the actuating coil of switch-50, to

ground. The switch 50 closes and cuts out resistance section R thus strengthening the a generator field and increasing the electromotive force at its terminals. Similarly, in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth positions of the controller the switches 51, 52, 53 and 54 are closed, short circuiting, respectively, resistance sections R to R", and in each instance increasing the field strength .of the generator. In the ninth position of the master controller, contact segment 7 leaves contact 8 and therefore the circuit for the .succceding running positions the sections R to R in the motor circuit are master controller.

ments leave the cooperating fixed contacts and all the resistance switches open. Contact se ment 15 now, however, engages with contact 16 and since this segment is conne-cted with the remaining movable segments of the controller, current flows from contact 16, through contactsl, Z and Z of the switch L, train wire 42, through the actuating coil of the switch .1, through interlock 5 associated with the series switch, through the actuating coil of switch P to ground. Switches T, T and T remain closed in all the running positions of the controller, so that after the switches P and P have been operated the two motors are'connected in parallel and each has in circuit therewith the corresponding resistance sections. The excitation of the generator field is again at its lowest, so that upon turning the master controller K through the resistance eliminated and then the resistances R to R in the generator field circuit are short-circuited step-by-step as before.

It will be seen that if at any time the current supplied to the motors exceeds a predetermined value the relay 0 will be operated, closing its contacts 0 and completinga circuit through the locking device K of the Upon being energized the locking device prevents the controller from being moved further until the current has been reduced. Similarly, ifthe total output of the generator exceeds a predetermined maximum the relay will operate to When it is desired to brake, the switch L is moved into the position wherein the lefthand movable contacts engage the fixed contents and then, uponturning the controller K to the first position, the only control circuits which will be established will he the circuits through the contacts 3,14, 5, and 6 of the master controller, through the actuating coil of switch T, to ground, and a branch circuit passing from contact 6 through contacts Z Z Z", Z and thence through the actuatingv coil of switch B, through the interlock t associated with switch T through the actuating coil of switches B, B andB, to ground; this latter circuit also branching and passing through the actuating coil of switch to ground. Switches T,.B B, B and i P are closed and the circuits are as indicated in Fig. 3, namely, the motor armatures are connected in parallel to the generator and. have included in circuit therewith the resistance sections R, R and R R.- The ficld windings of the motors are, however, connected in series with each other and with the resistance sections r to r, to the exciter';

excited generators supplying current to the generator a which now acts as a rhptor and drives the motor a above synchronism so as to return energy to the line. It is evident that the field windings may be otherwise connected and may be excited in any suit.- able manner; but, by connecting them in serise, the total exciting current is reduced...

and by properly proportioning the partsthe same exciter may be made to serve to supply current both to the field winding of the generator a and to the field windings of the motors. he master controller may now be operated so as to out out the resistances R to R and then to strengthen the generator field by cutting out resistances'R to R in the some manner as when controlling the speed of the motors in propelling the car or train.

Various arrangements of switches for per- Initting the motors to be operated both as motors and as generators may of course be employed, but that illustrated is advantageouson railways in which there are long or numerous inclines. In such cases, in start- ,ing the descent of an incline, the switch L is placed in the braking position. When the controller K is then brought to its firstposition the motor-circuits are arranged as shown in Fig. 3. The resistances R and R are connected in series with the armature of mo tor M and resistances R and R in series with theiarmature of motor M and these resistances serve to revent an excessive rush of current should there be a large difference of potential between the armatures otinotors M and M and the armature c of the generator; If it is desired to decrease the brakinglaction, or other words, to accelcrate the car or train, the controller K is turned in the on direction. In the 2nd position of the controller the resistances R and R are out out, and similarly in the 3rd position the resistances R and R are out out, thereby connecting the: armatures of the motors M and M directly tothe generator armature a. In the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th positions the controller cuts out the re sistances R te R thereby increasing the ex. citation and the E. M. F. of the generator" armature a This decreases the current and braking effort of the armatures of the motors M and M iii-matures M and M will then run at higher speeds in order to generate the E. M. F. required bythe increased E. M. F. of the generator armature produced by cutting out the. resistances R to it in the GXOltation circuit. In this way the speed of the carer-train is allowed to increase. To thereafter decrease the speed of the train the con-- troller is moved in the ofl direction thereby reinscrting the resistances R to-R and finally rcinserting the resistances R to R in order to prevent excessive current in'the' armatures of themotors'llf and M and in'the armature a" of thegenerator. During these operations, however; the operator is prevented from increasing the braking action too rapidly, by means .of the relay 0 and the locking device K When the controllers are being operated to connect the motors as braking generators the actuating circuit for the switch U is interrupted and the connections between coil 0 of the relay and the armature of the generator (1 are reversed, so that although the direction of the current in the coil 0 of the relay is the reverse of that during normal operation of the motor, the relative energization of the two relay coils remains the same. Therefore if, after the train has been brought to speed, the master controller is moved back suddenly so that thereis danger of overloading the motorgenerator set, the relay operates to close the circuit through the locking device and the controller is locked until the danger of overload is past. The danger of damaging the system by bringing the controller from the off position to the first position while the train is running at a considerable speed is obviated by the use of the resistances R to R which serve to materially cut down the currents. It is therefore possible to pro ous positions.

duce a very quick and effective braking action in case of emergency without turning the controller through a number of positions. The braking action of the system may be controlled not only by adjusting the field of the generator, which is now operatin as a motor, but by varyin the excitation o the fields of the motors t emselves. Thus the train may be slowed down either by decreasin the generator field or increasin the field o the motors. The s stem is 1llustrated as containing normal y a resistance r to 1' in the circuit of the motor fields when the motors-are operating as braking generators and these resistance sections are adapted to be short-circuited by switches 55, 56 and 57, which are in turn controlled by. the master switch H. In the first operating position of the switch H, current flows from the exciter, through contacts 723,]t, h, 7L2, to train wire 32, thence through the actuating coil of switch 55, to ground and back to the exciter. In the second running position of the switch H, a second circuit extends from contact it, through train wire 31, through actuatingcoil of the switch 56, to ground. In the third position of the switch H, current also fiows from contact 7?, to train wire 30, and thence through the actuating coil of switch 57, to ground. switch H is in its oil position, all of the resistance is included, and this may be elimi nated by turning the switch through its vari- In operation, the requisite braking steps can be obtained through the action of the'controller K without necessivention Therefore, when the- .tating. the. movement of switchH, and this latterswitch may therefore be employed-for the purpose of varying'the field excitation under different conditions, namely, if it is desired to permit the car or train to attain the highest speed permissible, the switch H is left in its off position, namely the position wherein the field excitation is the weakest. If the conditions are such that a slower ultimate speed is desirable, the switch H may be set in that running position which will give the requisite field strength. Thus, although a large number of resistance steps may of course be provided in some instances, it may be more advantageous to have but few running positions for the field controlling switch H, these positions being marked, for example, fast, intermediate, and slow designating the ultimate speed which a car or train may obtain when the switch is set in one of those positions. It is evident that when a heavy braking action is desired the usual air-brakes may be operated in conjunction with the electric brake system.

Then the train may be slowed down to the desired speed through. the operation of both brake systems and be thereafter controlled electrically only. It will now be seen that the present intprovides a simple and convenient systemor effectively operating and controlling vehicles or trains under the varying conditrons to be met in actual practice. In illustrating and describing my invention I have omitted many of the usual features, such as reversing switches for permitting the vehicle to be operated in either direction, duplicate master control apparatus, and various minor details of the motor controllers, since they in themselves are. not necessary for an understanding of the invention. Similarly, it will be evident that various changes in the apparatus illustrated may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims. What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In an electric railway, a source of current supply, a vehicle having a motor-generator adapted "to receive current from said source of current supply, series motors for driving said vehicle, and control apparatus for connecting said motors to said generator to cause the motors to operate to propel the vehicle and for connecting the motor armatures to said generator and se arately excit ing the series field windings o the. motors to cause the motors to be driven as braking generators supplying current to the generator of the motor generator.

2. Inan electric railway, a source of current supply, a vehicle having a motor-genera-- tor adapted to receive current from said source 0 supply, series motors forpro llin said vehicle, and control apparatus adtpted to connect said motors to said ge'ierator to operateon current supplied by sair encrator and to connect the motor armatui '1 to said generator in parallel with each other and the series field windings in series with each other to a source of current supply independent of the motor .armatures to cause the motors to operate as braking generators supplyingthe generator with current 1 3. In an electric railway, a source of current sup ly, a vehicle having a motor-genorator arlhpted to receive current from said source of supply, series motors for propelling the vehicle, and control apparatus adapted to vary the excitation of the generator field and arra-n ed to connect the motors to said generator operation as motors and to con nect the motor armatures to said generator and the series field windings in a separately excited current to cause the motors to operate as braking enerators sup lying energy to said source oi current supp y.

4c. In an electric railway, a source of current supply, a vehicle having a motor-genera tor ada ted 'to receive current from said source ol supply, series motors for repelling the vehicle, control a. paratus a a ted to vary the excitation of t e generator old and arranged to connect the motors to said generator for operation as motors and to connect the motor armatures to said generator and the series field windings in a separatelyexcited circuit to cause the motors to operate as braking enerators sup lying energy to said source-oi current s'u pry, and means for varying the excitation 0 when the motors are operating as braking generators.

5. In an electric railway, a source of cur rent supply, a vehicle having a motor-genera.- tor ads ted to receive current from said source 0; supply, auxiliary source of current supply on said vehicle for exciting the generator field, series motors for propelling said vehicle, a resistance in the generator field circuit, and control apparatus arranged to vary said resistance and also arranged. to connect the said motors to the generator an mature-for operation as motors and to connect the motor armatures to the generator armature and the series field windings to said auxiliary source of current supply to cause the motors to operate asbraking generators.

6. In an electric railway, a source of cur rent supply, a vehicle having a motOngenerator adapted to receive current from said source of supply, an auxiliar source of current supply in said vehicle fior exciting the generator field, a resistance in the generator field circuit, series motors for propelling said vehicle, control ap aratus arranged to vary the amount of said resistance in the generatcr'field circuit and also arranged toconnect said motors to said generator. for operation the motor fields rent supply,

as motors and to connect the motor arma tures to the generator and the field windings in series with each other to said auxiliary source of S11 ply to cause the motors to operate as blaring generators, and means for varying the resistance of the motor-field circuit when the motors are acting as braking generators.

7. In combination, an electric generator, a generator circuit, and a protective device for said generator including electro-responsive means 0 erative at a predetermined maximum loa upon the generator irrespective of the value of current.

8. In combination, an electric generator, a generator circuit, and a protective device for said generator including electro-res nsive means operative at a predetermine maxi mum load 11 on the generator-irrespective of the value o current, and when the current reaches a predetermined maximum.

9. In combination, an electric generator, a controller for varying the generator circuit, and a protective device including a lock for the controller and electro-responsive lockcontrolling means comprising coils connected in series with and in shunt to the generator armature, said coils being wound so as to assist eachothe'r.

10. In combination, an electric generator,

a controller for varying the field strength of the generator, and a protective device including .a lock for the controller and electroresponsive lock-controlling means comprising coils connected in series with an in shunt to the generator armature, said coils being wound so as to assist each other.

11. In combination, an electric generator, a controller for changing the armature circuit and for varying the field strength of the generator, and a protective device including a lock for the contr Her and electrorespom sive lock-controlling means comprising coils connected in series with and in shunt to the generator armature, said coils being wound so as to assisteach other.

12. In a system of control, a source of cur rent su pl a rnotor or group of motors, a controll r or connecting said motor or group of motors to said source of current supply and arranged to vary the motor circuits to vary the speed of the motor, a lock for said controller, and lock-controlling means opera tive upon a predetermined maximum load upon the motors irrespective of the current value and upon a predetermined maximum current value to cause the controller to be locked.

13. In a system of control, a source of oura motor, a controller for connecting the motor to said source of supply and varying the motor current to vary the speed of the motor, a-lock for said controller, and Mock-controlling device having a coil in series with the motor armature and a second coil in shunt to the motor, said coils being wound so as to assist each other.

14. In an electric vehicle, a motor-generator, motors adapted-to receive current from said motor-generator to propel the vehicle, and an electro-re'sponsive protective device for the system arranged to operate at a predeterminedp'alue of the current in the generator armature at a predetermined load on the motor-generator.

15,. In an electric vehicle, a motor-generator, motors, means for connecting said motors for operation on current supplied by the generator or for operation as generators supplying current to the generator, and an electroresponsive protective device for the system arranged to operate upon a predetermined load irrespective of the value of the current passing through the armature of the generator of the motor-generator.

16. In an electric vehicle, a motor-generator, propelling motors for the vehicle arranged to be supplied with current from the generator, and a protective device for the motor-generator including a coil in series with the generator armature and a coil in shunt to the generator armature, said coils being wound so as to assist-each other.

17. In an electric vehicle, a motor-generator, propelling motors for the vehicle, a controller for connecting the motors to the generate'r armature and varying the circuit conditions, a lock for said controller, and an electroresponsive lock-controlling device comprising a coil connected in series with the generator armature and a coil connected in shunt t0 the generator armature, said coils being wound so as to assist each other.

18. In an electric vehicle, a motor-generator, propelling motors for the vehicle, a controller for connecting the motors to the generator armature and varying the field strength of the generator, a lock for said controller, and an clectroresponsive lock-controlling device comprising a coil connected in series with the generator armature and a coil connected in shunt to the generator armature, said coils being wound so as to assist each other.

19. In an electric vehicle, a motor-generator, propelling motors-for the vehicle, a con troller-for connecting the motors to the generator armature and having contacts arranged to vary the eircuitconditions and the strength of the generator field, a l ck for said controller, and an electror espo ive lockcontrolling device comprising a coil connected in series with the generator armature and a coil connected in shunt to the generator armature, said coils being wound so as to assist each other.

20. In combination, a motor-generator, motors, controlapparatus adapted to connect said motors to the generator of the mo tor-generator for operation as motors or for operation as generators driven by the load and to vary the speed of the motors, a protective device for the motor-generator including an electrores onsive device having coils in series with an( in shunt to the armature of the generator, said coils being wound so as to assist each other, and means for reversing the connections of one of said coils upon changing the motors to braking generators and vice versa.

21. In combination, a motor-generator, series motors, control apparatus arranged to connect said motors to the generator of the motor-generator to cause the motors to operate as motors or to connect the motor armatures to the generator'armature and the motor field windings to a separate source to cause the motors to operate as generators driven by the load, said control apparatus including means for varying the generator field both when the motors are operating as motors and as generators together with means for varying the excitation of the motor fields when separately excited.

22. In combination, a motor-generator, series motors, control a paratus for varying the field excitation of t 1e generator and for connecting the motors to the generator for operation as motors or for connecting the motor armat'ures to the generator and the motor field windings to a separate source to cause the motors to o erate as generators driven by the load, an separate means for varying the excitation of themotor field windings during the operation of the motors as generators.

In witnesswhereof I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of A ril, 1906.

EDWAR H. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN Oaronn. 

